Archive for the 'Breaking Headlines' Category

Jamaica now has the third-longest copyright term in the world, and the term extension has been imposed retrospectively, all the way back to works created in 1962, the year ska burst on the public scene.The new term only binds on Jamaicans, meaning that the currently public domain Jamaican works that are going back into copyright [...]

MUSIC video director and film producer Jerome Hyde has 10 years of experience under his belt. He has worked on major Hollywood films and television shows as well as videos for hip hop and reggae acts. Currently in Kingston for the inaugural Jamaica Film Festival, the 30-year-old Washington DC native wants to learn more about [...]

Levi Roots is handing me a spoon bubbling with hot, coconutty liquid. The musician-turned-chef is holding court at a cooking demonstration in the Jamaican sunshine and what he’s making smells amazing. I was first to volunteer to taste his creation, and as I slurp up the contents of the spoon I’m delighted I put my [...]

Despite Jamaican reggae’s pro-cannabis stance over the past six decades, the plant remains illegal in the music’s birthplace.Jamaica’s reggae artists are unrivaled in their vociferous championing of marijuana usage and persistent rallying for its legalization. A primary tenet of the island’s indigenous Rastafarian way of life, which is inextricably linked to the cultural identity of [...]

Returning to Nigeria, 22 years after his first visit, reggae music icon, Don Carlos, recounts intimate experiences with his Nigerian fans. Nseobong Okon-Ekong reports Not customary with the character of entertainment star of his stature and fame, reggae music icon, Don Carlos, real name, Ervin Spencer, was alone in his hotel room in Lagos. He [...]

The kids of late reggae star Peter Tosh are at war over more than $2 million in royalties from his estate, according to a new Manhattan lawsuit.Tosh’s daughter, Aldrina McIntosh, claims in the suit that younger sister Niambe McIntosh hasn’t paid her or their other eight siblings a cent in royalties for the past five [...]

From his involvement in the earliest Jamaican singles to have impacted international markets to his co-founding role in Island Records, Australian-born engineer Graeme Goodall, was a pivotal, if somewhat overlooked, figure in the development of Jamaica’s music industry. Goodall died of natural causes at his Atlanta home on December 4th; he was 82. Born in [...]

Reggae legend Bob Marley was known to be a fan of marijuana. Now, a marijuana-focused venture capital firm is trying to bank on that tight relationship. Privateer Holdings has reached an agreement with the family of the late musician to collaborate on what the Seattle-based firm is calling “the world’s first global cannabis brand.” Called [...]

Veteran Jamaican reggae singer John Holt died in a London hospital on Sunday. He was 69. Copeland Forbes, Holt’s manager since 2006, confirmed the entertainer’s passing.“John died at 2:40 am English time. His [John’s] nephew informed of his death,” Forbes told OBSERVER ONLINE. via Veteran singer John Holt is dead – Latest News – JamaicaObserver.com.

An acclaimed record producer said he feared for his life after £250,000-worth of tracks were stolen from his Birmingham home. The haul lost by Meddy Ranks included a clutch of rare and unreleased works by reggae legends. Meddy, who stored the tracks on his laptop, said he now feared repercussions from associates in Jamaica who [...]